A Long Standing Dream
by Sketchmin
Summary: On the eve of the Graduation Exam, Ino finds herself crossing into another's dream, an ability unique to the Yamanaka. Eager to delve into the Shinobi world, Ino hones her skills as a ninja, all the while seeking the person hidden in her slumber.
1. Chapter 1: The First Encounter

Disclaimer: The story here is non-profit and for purely entertainment purposes; nor is it affiliated to Shueisha, Akamaru Jump, Shonen Jump or any other publishers of Naruto. The characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto and the plot belongs to me.

Summary: On the eve of the Academy Graduation Exam, Ino finds herself crossing into another's dream, an ability unique to the Yamanaka. Ready to delve into the Shinobi world, she is eager to develop her skills as a ninja, all the while seeking the person hidden in her slumber.

Special thanks to Gia for being my Beta. I could not have done this without you.

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><p><strong>A Long-Standing Dream<strong>

By Sketchmin

_Chapter One: The First Encounter_

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><p>Ino Yamanaka entered the classroom tiredly, distancing herself from Sakura as she headed toward her seat near the window. Her morning had gotten off to a bad start and she was in no mood to go along with their usual antics. Frankly, she was growing tired of competing over every little thing, as if a race to the classroom would make a difference at all.<p>

Ino knew their bouts were petty, but she couldn't help but be pulled into them; she hated losing more than anything. She walked past her crush, eyeing him out of the corner of her eye. She had always admired Sasuke, always appreciated his handsome demeanor, his prowess, his dark allure. He was the most put together boy in class. His tragic story had made her heart even weaker toward him. Apparently, other girls felt similarly.

When Sakura had realized Ino's love interest was the same as her own, she promptly turned their friendship into a rivalry. Ino had been too surprised to react at the time, unable to understand how a single boy could cause Sakura to change so much without her help. Ino had offered no protest, merely a weak nod. Her inability to speak up at that time upset her. Where had the timid Sakura gone, the one that hid behind her shadows and looked up to her? Ino had been glad for Sakura's newfound confidence, but was saddened with the idea she was no longer needed. How did Sakura see her now? She didn't want to become just some sort of benchmark to be surpassed.

Ino glanced furtively at her pink-haired rival. Irritated as she was at the current development, she missed her friend. Sakura had been the one who knew her best. Even now, Ino sometimes turned to her, bursting to fill her in on a funny story, still used to giggling with Sakura over juicy details she had heard. She sighed heavily, grabbing the books from her bag to prepare for class.

Shikamaru who had just sat down stared at her curiously, "Good morning to you too. I didn't think you were that glad to see me."

Ino replied, rolling her eyes in return, "As if I would be glad to see your lazy ass. It's just been a bad morning. I mean, I know you think all mornings are bad. Mine started off worse than usual. I had a bad dream last night but I can't remember..."

Ino's annoyance level had risen slightly when she realized Shikamaru had already fallen asleep. Hopeless, she thought, and muttered under her breath, "Lazy ass, can't even complete a conversation. I hate you, you know that?"

Shikamaru's reply was a quiet snore, which served to irritate her more. Shikamaru and Chouji had come to fill in the void that Sakura's departure left. Sure, they sometimes annoyed her and were weird as hell, but they were alright. Not a replacement for Sakura but great friends to have nonetheless. Although Shikamaru always fell asleep after entering the class each morning, it annoyed her more today. Though she would usually scoff at how quickly he went to sleep, she felt like joining him this time. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night.

Iruka-sensei strolled into class, and greeted the class happily enough, "Good morning."

"Morning," Ino grumbled in reply.

The lesson wore on, and Ino felt herself trudging along. She could only put up a weak defense against falling sleep. It didn't help that the topic was History, Ino's least favorite subject. Iruka-sensei's voice droned on, rhythmically matching the nodding of her head. It briefly occurred to her that perhaps she had found the ultimate cure to insomnia. She fell asleep at that thought, a smile adorning her face as she rested her cheek on the desk.

"_There once appeared a nine-tailed fox_," Iruka's voice followed her into her slumber, "_Its mighty tails could crumble mountains and cause tsunamis._"

Ino's smile faded as she was reminded of the tale that had been told and retold. Yet, as many times as she had heard the account, the story itself seemed more fantasy than reality. Weren't demons fabrications parents invented in order to scare their children into listening? She didn't know.

When she was younger, Ino had accidentally wandered upon the very spot where the fox was supposed to have appeared. The ground had been barren, almost cursed. Empty craters and broken trees still littered the area, subtle reminders that the past was very true.

Iruka-sensei's voice blended into her dreamscape, "_To fight the demon, the people assembled all the shinobi from the village. One brave shinobi was able to seal up the demon, but because of that he lost his life. That shinobi was called the 4th Hokage_-"

"Iruka-sensei! You've got to come quick!"

The heads of everyone in the class turned immediately to the door of the classroom. Ino frowned in her sleep, reflexively opening an eye to peer at what disrupted her from her sleep.

"It's Naruto. You won't believe what he's done."

Ino's eyes shot over to Iruka, noting him give a hasty apology before rushing out the classroom. Hoping for a better explanation, she turned to Shikamaru and asked, "What's going on?"

"How should I know?" replied Shikamaru, who had just stirred from his nap. He yawned and stretched his arms in the air. He blinked slowly and said, "I've been asleep."

"No duh, but don't you and Naruto hang out?"

"Not really. We skip class a few times together but that doesn't mean we're best buds or anything."

"Oh," said Ino after a small pause.

She was slightly curious as to what Naruto was doing this time. The last time Iruka-sensei was pulled from class, Naruto had been caught painting his face all over buildings throughout town. It's not that she disliked Naruto. It was more like he was a dumbass. He was annoying. He talked too much, complained too much and always picked fights with Sasuke. Whereas Sasuke was quiet and mature, Naruto was loud and a showboat. She laughed a little and said, "Probably something dumb."

Shikamaru shrugged and looked past her, outside the window. His eyes squinted, trying to concentrate on something in the distance and his mouth opened slightly in shock. He pointed out the window and laughed, "I bet it has something to do with that. There, look there!"

"God, boys are stupid," said Ino, staring wide-eyed at the newly altered Hokage monument, "Are all boys like this?"

Her classmates had already begun to notice Naruto's handiwork, and her voice was lost amidst the noise. Apparently, Naruto had decided the Hokage faces needed some touch up, marked permanent with paint. She couldn't help but laugh.

Ino was still laughing when a pissed looking Iruka dragged a tied-up Naruto into class. The sight of Naruto tied up, legs sprawled apart, still trying to act defiant seemed too ridiculous and made her smile even harder. She didn't think herself particularly cruel for enjoying Naruto's current state.

"Tomorrow is the academy's graduation exam and you've failed it the last two times!" scolded Iruka, exasperated at having had to chase Naruto around the village, "This isn't the time to be causing trouble!"

She could only agree with Iruka-sensei. Although Naruto liked to claim he was the number one ninja in the village, the numbers marked him as worst in class. Maybe he could talk an enemy to death, but other than that, he needed some work. Naruto was dumb not because he didn't seem to show any talent towards being a ninja, but because he wasted time doing stupid things instead of working to back up his talk. His boasts grated her ears like some pathetic attempt to gain the spotlight. Sasuke wasn't like that, she told herself, proud of her taste in guys. Sasue didn't have to yell his greatness through the streets. He had this quiet confidence that showed he knew his worth.

Ino sat quietly when Iruka-sensei suddenly decided to give the class a _Henge no Jutsu _pop test. She made no attempt to join the class' collective groaning. She had already taken the time to practice and had finally gotten the hang of the jutsu. She lined up alongside her nervous classmates as she waited to take the test. Her turn came. Focus. Feet shoulder's width apart. Steady breathing.

Ino concentrated on Iruka-sensei's features, and began pulling just the right amount from her chakra stores. Slowing down her breathing, she put her hands together in the familiar seals, and completed the jutsu. Feeling a small drain from her energy, Ino looked herself over to check for any glaring errors.

She smiled broadly and winked, "All good?"

When Iruka-sensei nodded proudly and returned the smile, she cheered and skipped back to her chair until she realized she was still in her Iruka henge. Giving a sheepish apology, she dismissed her jutsu and returned to her seat, trying to pretend she just didn't make her teacher's form do girly skips.

Her embarrassment faded as soon as she started paying attention to her other classmates. Unsurprisingly, Sasuke performed the henge with no effort. Sakura had no problem, nor did Shikamaru or Chouji.

Naruto nervously stood in front Iruka, preparing to perform his henge. Ino watched as he pushed his goofy goggles up his forehead. Naruto gave a resigned sigh before forming the hand seals. She wondered if he would be able to pull off the jutsu this time. All his previous attempts had failed, producing funny caricatures instead of replicas. It didn't surprise her really. Subterfuge and attention to detail were ideas foreign to Naruto. So she watched on, waiting to see what he would do now. Ino could only grimace as she could feel Naruto begin pushing large amounts of chakra into his jutsu, and top it off with a loud shout, "_Henge_!"

Naruto disappeared behind a puff of smoke, and Ino stared expectantly, waiting for what would appear. She felt the word "wow" escape her lips as a pair of very feminine legs emerged from the dust. Ino blinked a couple times to make sure she wasn't imagining the very naked girl standing before the classroom blowing a kiss at Iruka-sensei. Ino stared, a little jealous of the henge's slender and voluptuous figure, the body she pushed herself to get.

The class had frozen, apart from Iruka-sensei's stutters, and Naruto's raucous laughter filled the room as he undid his jutsu.

Still laughing, Naruto said, "I call this one _Sexy no Jutsu_!"

Her cheeks reddened from embarrassment, though she couldn't quite place why. God, she wanted to throw a book at him for making things so awkward. She noticed from the corner of her eye that Chouji had begun rapidly eating more of his potato chips and Shikamaru awake, seeming a tad flustered. As Iruka-sensei recovered and started berated Naruto, she rested her chin on her hands and turned slowly to her two friends.

"So," she said, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, "Like what you saw? Hmm?"

She smiled devilishly as Shikamaru squirmed nervously and Chouji munched his chips even faster, if that was possible. Shikamaru sighed and she could almost hear him mutter, 'Troublesome girl' beneath his breath.

"Chouji," Shikamaru paused, "We can't win here."

She laughed as Chouji only nodded in agreement.

"Hmph," she said in playful disappointment, and turned her attack to Chouji, "Chouji, you can tell me!"

Instead of replying, Chouji merely shrugged. Dropping it at that, Ino continued watching the class, waiting for the test to be completed.

Her day brightened after the morning's distractions, Ino found the strength to bear through the rest of the history review and was glad when it finally finished. It was hard to believe that she could graduate tomorrow. She would become a Konoha shinobi and these lessons would end. A myriad of emotions spread through her whenever she thought about how life would change. Ino had had her share of anxiety and worry. Many times she questioned her ability as a ninja. Though she was confident she could pass the graduation exam, she always wondered what would happened if she didn't. Ino fiddled with her fingers nervously at the thought. She couldn't bear the disappointment. Her parents would be devastated and ashamed that their only daughter was a failure.

Even worse, what if she passed the exam and then ended up dead next year? She had heard the horror stories, the hushed tragedies of ninjas her age killed ruthlessly. What if she made a mistake that would cost not only her life, but also the lives of her teammates? A scary thought.

She shook her head, dispelling the gloom that had once again creeped back into her mind. Today was the last day of class and she wasn't going to end it with doubts. Ino stood up with Shikamaru and Chouji, her bag packed and ready to leave for home.

Even though she had known them ever since she could remember, Ino couldn't say that she was best friends with Chouji and Shikamaru or knew them particularly well. She did see them often enough whenever their parents would visit each other.

"Well," she said, speaking to Chouji, "Good luck Chouji. See you tomorrow."

"You too. Bye Ino," said Chouji, waving.

Turning to Shikamaru, Ino said, "Good luck to you too, though you'll probably fall asleep during the exam and fail anyway."

"Whatever," Shikamaru scoffed, already waving her off, "See you tomorrow."

They parted in different directions after a while, Shikamaru and Chouji toward their homes, and Ino to her family's flower shop. She worked part time after school in order to help out her mom. A boring job, but it gave her a monthly allowance.

Lucky for her, today wasn't a busy day. Ino decided to spend her down time studying for the exam. She was confident that she knew how to henge, but, half-inspired by Naruto's antics, wanted to try something a little different. She had always henged into people she knew or had seen: mom, dad, her classmates, Sasuke – she had had fun with that one...

Naruto had created a henge of someone who hadn't existed, a female version of himself. The concept didn't seem too difficult, but it had never occurred to her to create something of her own imagination, say an even more beautiful version of herself. It would be fun to try.

Holding her hands into the seals, she pictured an older version of herself, curvier, with a larger bust, and amazing legs.

"_Henge_!" she whispered nervously, performing the jutsu.

After feeling the drain, she quickly ran to a mirror, and peeked with one eye. Grinning, she opened both eyes to an older more attractive version of herself. Her face looked mature, her body more feminine.

"Hmm," she said, feeling silly enough to strike poses in front of the mirror, "Not bad!"

After blowing a kiss at the mirror, she felt her embarrassment meter reach the threshold and quickly released the jutsu. Smiling happily, Ino was sure that if she were asked to perform the _Henge no Jutsu_ for the exam, she would easily become a genin rank.

She thumbed down the list of requirements for her exam; _Bunshin no Jutsu_ was next. Ino felt a little less secure, but if she could work out the kinks now, then she wouldn't have to worry later. The jutsu was a little tricky because she had to form her chakra outside her body and develop it into an image of herself. In that respect, _Bunshin_ _no Jutsu_ was similar to henging but required more chakra.

Ino placed her chakra outside her body and molded it into a replica of herself. When she had gotten a full detailed image, she concentrated on that picture and put her hands into the required seals.

"_Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

She noticed a slight drain from her chakra as an exact replica appeared. The jutsu only produced an image, rather than a body, so she had to focus on placing the clone above ground, so that its feet didn't sink into the floor. The process had been tricky when she had first learned it but now Ino could make her clone walk, run, and even fight without giving away any sign that it was a fake. Learning how to make her clone fight had been a particular pain in the ass, especially when she had to simulate the throwing of a kunai or a couple shurikans. Often, the clones would phase into each other, whether it be an arm, or kunais. Even now, they sometimes overlapped each other.

"_Bunshin no Jutsu_!"

Ino performed the jutsu again, creating two more clones. She felt a little tired, due to the concentration it took to direct three clones, and herself. She practiced doing jumping jacks while making her clones fight each other. The exercise, which she invented, was supposed to help compartmentalize her actions and do many things at the same time. Human minds can only concentrate on one thing at time, but shinobis were asked to do more than the norm. It had been frustrating to see her clones mimic her every move when she had initially tried making them do separate actions. Slowly, she added little changes, making them do separate things while she herself was doing something different. Eventually, she got the hang of it.

Her ability and level of concentration limited her to three clones, successfully compartmentalizing her mind into four parts.

Feeling satisfied, she dispelled the jutsu and quickly sat down. The drain was evident, marked by the sweat that drenched her body. Grabbing a glass of water, Ino took a much needed break. She still had some more genin level jutsus that she wanted to go over, but she could do that later tonight, after her shift at the shop.

Working at the shop required her to make deliveries. It was perhaps her most favorite part about the job. For one thing, it meant that her shift was drawing to a close; she saved the deliveries for last. It allowed her to take her time, enjoy the evening air while making brief visits to her customers, sometimes sharing a conversation or two and maybe come away with some tidbits of gossip.

She had one delivery that was particularly juicy with gossip material. Although her delivery was signed with an anonymous sender, the boy had come into the shop and she had recognized him. He was in the graduating class a couple years above her, though his name escaped her. Apparently he recognized Ino or the glint in her eyes because he made Ino promise to keep his identity a secret.

Reaching the Ichiraku Ramen Bar with flowers in hand, she first noticed Naruto and Iruka-sensei sitting side by side in animated conversation.

"One day, I'm going to get the Hokage title and then I will surpass all the previous hokages!" Naruto shouted, his chopsticks poised to poke Iruka's face, "and then I'll make the village acknowledge my strength!"

Although he was loud and an idiot, Ino admired Naruto's frankness and confidence. He didn't care that he annoyed her or gave her a headache with his constant shouts. He knew what he wanted, and Ino could respect that resolve, sort of. She slowed her pace, curious. She hadn't thought the two were close, what with Iruka-sensei yelling at Naruto all the time.

"Can I borrow your forehead protector?" Naruto pleaded, arms begging.

"Oh this?" Iruka said, tapping the object in question, "No, no, this is what you get after you graduate. This is a symbol that you've come of age. Maybe you'll get one tomorrow…"

"Hi Iruka-sensei!" Ino said, then performing a half curtsy directed to Naruto, "Hokage-sama."

Iruka-sensei greeted her kindly. Naruto crossed his arms and gave a loud hmph, muttering something about Sasuke-idiot.

"I'm here to deliver some flowers," she explained, "For Ayame."

"What for?" Naruto asked.

"Well you see Naruto," Ino said, gesturing with her arms, "When a man likes a woman…"

Naruto stared back, waiting for her lesson to continue.

"He will buy her flowers," said Ino, pointing to her package, "You should try it sometime."

"Oh…" Naruto said, pausing to think.

She giggled lightly, imagining the gears inside Naruto's brain slowly winding, computing the information. It was no secret that he liked Sakura; all his actions toward her were laced with infatuation. It was too bad Sakura didn't feel the same. Perhaps their friendship would still be alive if she did. After dropping off the flowers to a very surprised and blushing Ayame, she bade Iruka-sensei and Naruto good night. Wishing Naruto luck in both tomorrow and love, she departed for home.

As she walked home, Ino hummed quietly, her mind wandering back to last night's dream, something she'd forgotten. Odd that she thought of it now, making her way back home in dimly lit streets. She couldn't recall it, the image always escaping her grasp. She only knew she dreamed, but couldn't quite place what it was. Ino had woken up, tears trailing down her cheeks, feeling a loneliness that she had never experienced. It was despair, a gripping hopelessness that chilled her to the core.

Whatever it had been, Ino thought as she reached for the door to her house, she hoped for better dreams tonight. She needed a good sleep for tomorrow's challenges.

Ino spent the rest of the night practicing more jutsus. With dad away on missions and mom enjoying the night with her girl friends, Ino had the whole house to herself. Although dinner was a little lonely, the place was peacefully quiet.

Ino hopped into bed and hugged one of her stuffed animals tightly.

"Good night," she said, fondly patting the top of its head and fell asleep.

Ino opened her eyes to an enveloping darkness with a faint feeling that she was dreaming. Her sight was fuzzy and her body tired.

Ino crawled around slowly, struggling to make sense of her surroundings. She had a sense of déjà vu that she had experienced something like this before. She wondered if this had anything to do with last night's dream.

It seemed time had frozen, leaving Ino to wander aimlessly in darkness. She was growing tired of this.

"Hello?" she called out wearily.

Ino hadn't expected any response. This was such a strange dream. Hers were usually fragmented snapshots of memories or desires. She could never remember any of her dreams. The feeling of knowing something but having it just out of the grasp of recollection annoyed her deeply, as if it were an itch she couldn't find.

"Hello?" she said again, taking the moment to remind herself to write this one down when she woke up.

It occurred to her that she might not wake up. The thought of being comatose scared her. Death? She shuddered. Hope not. The face of her late uncle flashed through her mind.

She had been studying for an exam when her dad had burst into her room with a sense of urgency, almost borderline panic. When he had told her to come to the hospital with him, she didn't hesitate, could only wonder who it was. In their hurry, Ino was only able to register fragments of her father's explanations as they leapt on rooftops. Mission gone wrong… uncle… missing-nins. Ino had cried when she saw her favorite uncle whisked away into the emergency room, looking pale from a blood-drenched wound. It had been the last time she had seen him alive; they had his funeral just one week later. Everything happened too quickly. She had hugged him before his mission and now would never be able to see him again. Even now, Ino sometimes expected him to walk through that door and pick her up, tease her about boys...

"Is anyone there?" Ino said aloud, growing a little irritated and worried.

She wandered for some time when the darkness suddenly transformed into the bright streets of Konoha. Her eyes winced as the light hit her vision. Although she stood there for a while, trying to adjust to the new scene, her vision still blurred. Despite her impaired sight, Ino immediately recognized the courtyard of Konoha Academy. Having grown up here, she could recognize it in a heartbeat. Ino curiously walked around the crowds of parents and children.

What was this? Parents only waited with their children on the first day of classes.

"Hello?" Ino called out, seeing if she could reach anyone's attention.

They looked past her, unaware of her presence. She tried shaking some people but the actions proved futile. No response.

Frustrated, Ino took a step back from the scene, attempting to retrace her steps. She had fallen asleep. Her consciousness had awoken to this, whatever this was. She reasoned that she could be dreaming. But, if this were a dream, she couldn't understand why she could think with such clarity. Also, no one responded to her, or even acknowledged her. She never had any dream like this. It could still be a dream though. Maybe.

Genjutsu made sense. Sort of. Genjutsu were illusionary techniques; they could create alternative worlds like this. She frowned. But it wouldn't make sense for anyone to attack her. She wasn't even a ninja yet. Placing her hands together, Ino was glad she remembered how to repel Genjutsu, a lesson they had learned long ago.

"_Kai_," she shouted, stopping her chakra flow to search for foreign chakra that she could disrupt.

Ino blinked steadily, waiting for something to happen. She sighed. She knew a failed attempt when she saw one. Well, she couldn't rule Genjutsu out completely because there was a high chance that her attacker - if there even was one – was strong enough to keep up the jutsu. If that were the case, there was nothing she could do but enjoy the ride. She didn't think it was Genjutsu though.

"I could be dead," she said aloud, suddenly wishing she had company, "I could have died in my sleep, alone like a sad old lady. I could be in a coma, like in the stories."

She mulled over the idea that only a kiss would awaken her from this nightmare. She wondered who would come running to save her.

She paused, straining to listen. Someone was crying. As she approached, she made out the image of a boy, but her vision was too blurred to see him clearly.

She had gotten down on one knee, ready to console the young boy, when she had heard the cold jeers from the crowd in front of him.

"He stinks, doesn't he?"

"There he is… no one cares about him."

"Disappear from here…"

"Monster."

The boy had been fighting back the emotions but the last comment must have hit harder than before because he started crying uncontrollably now. His whole body shook as tears poured down his face.

Ino wrapped the boy in her arms, had already began comforting him. She felt herself wanting to cry too. The sorrow this boy showed chilled her.

"It'll be alright," she whispered to him, before realizing that he probably wouldn't be able to hear.

She was surprised when he tightened under her embrace, and even more so, when he grasped onto her arm. There was little other response showing that he had heard her, for he had continued sobbing, shaking in her arms.

Ino sat there in that moment, holding him tightly, not knowing what else to do.

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><p>Her alarm rang, tearing her away from her dream. Drowsily turning it off, she woke feeling the same exhaustion she had felt the morning before.<p>

"What was that?" she murmured dizzily as she sat up in her bed.

Ino placed her feet out of bed, still thinking about her latest dream. Who was he? She didn't recall seeing such a boy before. She wondered what he must have done to garner that much hate. She could cry again if she thought about it harder. When she had held him, she had felt him lean into her, as if tired of standing on his own. Maybe she could keep her eye out for that little boy…

"Shoot," she said, remembering the date.

Her academy graduation exam was today. Glancing at the clock to check the time, she slipped out of bed to get ready for the big day. Ino got dressed quickly. The mystery boy would have to wait.


	2. Chapter 2: Exams

A/N:

Thanks again to Gia for the help.

Also thank you for the reviews and thanks for the heads up on Shikamaru's name spelling. I didn't even notice!

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><p><strong>A Long-Standing Dream<strong>

By Sketchmin

_Chapter Two: Exams_

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><p>Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose, studying the roster for this year's potential graduates. It was an interesting batch at the very least. They were his first students, the first class he took on as an instructor at the Academy, and now they would graduate. His eyes slowly traced the names of his students, pausing at some longer than others, lost in a flood of memories. No matter what the future would bring, Iruka had the feeling he would always see a part of them as his little students. He smiled wistfully, holding his roster. It was as he had feared; he had grown attached.<p>

He took a sip from his tea as he glanced out the classroom window. It had become his daily ritual ever since taking on the position. Early mornings were the only time he could find peace and also prepare for the day. Stifling a yawn, Iruka realized his eyes had paused on one name in particular, the boy that stood out amongst the rest.

_Uzumaki Naruto_.

When Iruka had learned that he would be teaching Naruto, he had felt unsure of himself, had hesitated. The other teachers had given him sympathetic looks at the time, giving him their condolences by dismissing the boy as untalented and a trouble-maker. He had appreciated their attempts, but they hadn't understood.

Iruka had worried that Naruto would bring back the memories he had tried so hard to forget. His parents had died in the Kyuubi attack. Even now, the dreams still haunted him, the blur of terror, the sobbing screams, his voice hoarse, waking up to tears. He hadn't gotten to say goodbye and that had been the hardest to get over. Their deaths had left an empty hole, one that had taken years to heal and he had questioned if Naruto would bring all of that back again.

He had tried to distance himself from Naruto, to remain objective. Naruto would act out and Iruka would punish. He had been so afraid of the memories Naruto would bring back that he had never bothered to see Naruto as just a student, just a boy. And when he finally did, Iruka could only see himself, a lonely boy barely making it day to day. He could understand Naruto, could know the boy's loneliness, and their pain bonded them stronger than words could ever do.

How would Naruto do today?

It would be a long day for most. The graduation exam was designed to ensure that new genin knew enough to keep themselves alive. The exam consisted of two parts, and today would be the beginning of the first. His students would be given a simulated mission that would test their skills in the field, specifically reconnaissance and teamwork. Genin were expected to at least know that much. The rest could be sharpened with experience. Iruka believed that knowledge and skills could never be tested truly unless under duress. The second part of the exam would test individual skills, allowing him to build an accurate report of the abilities of each of his students. The first part was more important though. A student would have to be absolutely horrid in his jutsus if he failed after passing the first part of the exam. It was his job to make them genin worthy and he would do just that.

Iruka placed the schedule and roster down, finally taking the moment to stretch his arms behind back. Allowing himself a satisfying yawn, he turned toward the door to see Mizuki-sensei arriving with a stack of papers. Mizuki greeted him with a nod.

"Working hard as usual, eh, Iruka-sensei?" Mizuki said, placing the papers on the front desk, "You need to take a break sometime."

"I don't work that hard," Iruka replied, scratching his cheek sheepishly, "I take breaks too you know."

Mizuki hummed in agreement. "Once this is all over, I'll be taking a long one."

"I guess so," Iruka said, getting up to help place the printed missions on the student desks, "We'll have time for vacations after this."

Iruka hadn't thought about taking a break. He still had much to do. Head instructors never got much time off. Besides, he still had to form the candidate genin teams for those that passed the graduation exams.

"How do you think the class will do?" said Mizuki casually, placing the mission requests on the tables.

"I have high hopes for them. I think they'll all pass this time."

Mizuki wasn't able to hide his disbelief. "Even Naruto?"

"I think you'll be surprised."

"I shall defer to you then, Iruka-sensei," Mizuki said with a smile, "Have you already made the pairs for today's mission?"

Iruka held up the roster he had been working on, looking at the list he had been working diligently over. He had paired students together in teams of two, along with the teachers they would face.

"Yes, I think I'm satisfied with my arrangements," Iruka said, handing it over to Mizuki.

Mizuki scanned the list. He offered the roster back.

"Excellent pairings, Iruka-sensei. It will be interesting to see how the students respond to each other."

Iruka nodded, thinking once more about the student he had grown fond of.

"I think so too."

* * *

><p>Still feeling groggy, Ino munched on her breakfast almost impassively. She felt a mixture between tiredness and nervousness. Staring at her broiled fish, she contemplated the day, this supposed new chapter in her life as her mom liked to call it. She was sure she could pass. After all, if she couldn't then how many others could? As it stood, Ino had the highest overall grades in the class, something she would remind Sakura of often. Highest grades in ninjutsu and assertiveness. Second highest in taijutsu, genjutsu, and teamwork. The perfect match for Sasuke, whose interest laid in ability alone.<p>

She would probably pass. Her nervousness welled up inside her stomach. Ino had been confident yesterday, but she was unsure now. She suddenly felt full and jittery. She followed her urge to get up and unwind her nerves.

"I can do this," Ino repeated to herself, almost pacing with fraught. "I can do this."

She was almost tempted to run through all the jutsus she was required to know but decided against it. She would need all the rest she could get.

"Well maybe just one wouldn't hurt."

"_Hyakka Ryoran_!"

Flower petals appeared suddenly, spiraling violently around the room. It was the Genjutsu she had been working on for the exam. Although the requirement had been very simple –produce any jutsu outside of ones learned in class-, Ino had played around with the idea of making her own. What had started off with a couple petals floating in a circle ended up as an encompassing storm of flowers. Although it was far from being used effectively, it did block the field of vision, which was handy enough.

"What are you doing?" An amused voice rang out behind her, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Oh, Mom!" Ino said quickly, dismissing her unfinished jutsu, a little embarrassed she was caught off guard. "Morning."

"That was very pretty. Were you practicing for today's exam?" her mother replied, helping her daughter put away the dishes.

Akiko Yamanaka was everything Ino wanted in a mother. She was kind, loving, gentle but also stern when she needed to be. Although her mom was only a civilian, choosing the life of a flower shop owner instead, she had married a Shinobi and knew enough about the ins and outs of the ninja world. Growing up, Ino had thought her mother was very beautiful. Staring at her mother's graceful figure even now still enforced that belief. She wanted to be just as pretty as Mom was.

Ino nodded proudly, "Yup, it's the Genjutsu I've been working on."

"It was marvelous. You're growing up aren't you?" Akiko sighed resignedly, speaking more to herself than to Ino. "You sure you don't wanna stay with me in the shop instead of all that shinobi business?"

Ino smiled. Her mother always joked about giving up the ninja life and staying home, but Ino wanted to be a ninja like her dad. Besides, she had the talent for it. "Nope, I wanna give it a shot. If I change my mind, you'll be the first to know!"

"I don't suppose you will though. You're stubborn like your father."

"Funny," Ino said, grinning, "He says I get that from you."

"Oh he does, does he? I'll have to talk to him about that. He'll be back tomorrow."

Ino giggled, all the while giving a silent apology to Dad. "Thanks mom. I was a little worried today, but I feel better now."

"I'm glad," Akiko said, returning the smile. "You'll do great. Your father and I are so proud of you."

Ino blushed slightly, looking away, unused to straightforward compliments. Noticing the time, she thanked her mom hurriedly and rushed to her room to grab her supplies. It was almost time to go. Although Ino was far from being late, she enjoyed arriving early and decided it best to stick to her routine, especially for today.

The weather outside was perfect, sunny with a few clouds floating about. It was a cool walk to school, accompanied by a friendly breeze. When Ino arrived, she noticed a stack of papers on her desk as well as a schedule placed on top of them. She glanced over the schedule and groaned inwardly. They would be testing all day. She guessed it was to make sure they were all field ready. She had heard of the attempts to lower the genin casualty rate. The thought occurred to her that she might become a part of that statistic or even her classmates around her. She involuntarily shuddered. Ino scanned the room, morbidly wondering who among them would be the unlucky ones.

Sasuke was sitting quietly, resting on his elbows, staring out entranced in his own thoughts. He was the strongest in the class. He would probably fly through the ranks and become a top shinobi. The prodigies always did. And he would become a hero, one of the stars in Konoha, and she would say to that she was once in the same class as him. She had no doubts that he would be alright. Ino's eyes were tracing the outline of Sasuke's back when they flickered to the bright orange sitting in front of him. Naruto was fast asleep, the only time she'd seen him quiet.

How would Naruto do out there? Would he understand how dangerous it was outside the village?

Shikamaru took a seat next to her. Ino stared at him, wondered how Shikamaru would fair. She broke out into a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Shikamaru asked, trying to act unphased.

"Oh nothing," Ino said, waving her hand from side to side, trying to dismiss the subject.

"You were thinking something about me." Shikamaru said, carrying an air of indifference but she knew he was curious. "What was it?"

"What? No way." Ino replied, feigning shock.

"Ino," Shikamaru said pointedly, "You stared at me and then laughed. It's so obvious."

"Don't fall asleep this time. Today's kind of important."

"Whatever," Shikamaru said, rolling his eyes, "Says the girl who was drooling yesterday."

"What? I don't drool," Ino said defensively, even though she knew he was right.

Shikamaru was about to retort but Iruka-sensei had just walked in and the whole class fell silent.

"Good morning class," Iruka-sensei said, holding a sheet of paper in his hand. "As you all know, we're starting our graduation exam today. Today's exam will require you to apply everything you have learned."

Iruka-sensei paused, waiting for information to be digested.

"We are still doing the jutsu and skills assessments, but that will be for another day," Iruka continued, "As you may have noticed, placed on your desks are several sheets of paper and an envelope. If you haven't done so, please take a look over them now to learn the details of your mission."

At the word 'mission', Ino and several other students looked up in confusion. Iruka-sensei chuckled and pointed toward their desks, encouraging them to seek their answers from the papers piled there.

Ino picked up the first page and read through the contents slowly. Today's test was the mock mission Iruka-sensei mentioned. In order to pass, they would have to complete all the mission requirements. The academy teachers would be their opponents. Though chances of death were very unlikely, students were instructed to not take the exam lightly. They would need to fight. Sustaining injuries was probable.

Ino was beginning to feel excited as she continued flipping through the contents. It would be just like a real mission with enemies and danger. Her heart skipped a beat as she read that they would be partnered up for this mission. She hoped she could team up with Sasuke.

She held the brown envelope that was clasped shut in her hand. It looked official. Her fingers ran across the stamp of Konoha and words mission details, already feeling more accomplished. Her mind racing, Ino carefully opened the envelope and pulled out the contents. She read the briefing.

_Reports indicate that shinobi from the Hidden Stone Village are encamped somewhere along the northern border. Proceed with caution and investigate the area marked. Discover enemy strength and positions. Engage if necessary. _

Ino turned the page, finding the map that was placed alongside the mission details. She scanned the terrain but couldn't recognize it. An area of the map was circled with a red marker. She assumed this was the area they would reconnoiter.

"Be prepared to use whatever tools you want," Iruka-sensei said, causing her to look up, "We'll split you into your teams of two now."

"I hope I get Sasuke," Ino said quietly, while listening to Iruka-sensei call out names, "What about you guys?"

Chouji and Shikamaru both shrugged. She guessed it didn't matter much to them. However, the idea of one-on-one time with Sasuke made her a little nervous. What would they talk about?

"Akimichi Chouji and Nara Shikamaru," Iruka-sensei called out.

Chouji smiled and Shikamaru shrugged again. She could tell they were both pleased.

"Uchiha Sasuke," Iruka-sensei said, leaving her to hold her breath, "and Haruno Sakura."

Disappointment struck her harshly. Ino sighed. Sakura's cheers only seemed to rub it in. It's not like it mattered that much or so she told herself. She needed to concentrate on the mission anyway. She wondered who would be her partner.

"Yamanaka Ino and Uzumaki Naruto."

"What?" A pair of voices rang out in unison.

Iruka-sensei ignored them and continued.

With him? Ino was already starting to curse her luck. Maybe she wasn't being fair to Naruto. It was just that she wanted Sasuke, and Naruto was the furthest thing from him.

"Those are the assigned teams," Iruka-sensei said, putting away his roster, "Take the time now to plan your mission. Once it's time, we'll lead you to your starting spots."

Students got up to meet their partners. Ino started to gather her things as well.

"You'll be okay," Chouji said, offering her a potato chip.

"Don't worry. I don't think you'll slow Naruto down that much," Shikamaru said coolly, knowing exactly what to say to make her want to beat him up.

"Whatever," Ino said, rolling her eyes as she got up to join her new teammate, "Good luck you two."

Naruto looked sleepy and tired, so different from his normal demeanor. He sat slouched in his chair looking over the map. He glanced up just in time to see her sit down next to him.

"Ino," Naruto yawned, "Hey."

She smiled in return. "You look tired."

"Oh?" Naruto said, distracted, "Yeah, I didn't get much sleep. Bad dreams."

"Tell me about it. I've been getting weird dreams myself," Ino said, surprised to have something in common with Naruto. "Anyway, I have a couple ideas but I need to know your strengths. I'll tell you mine. That way we can come up with something together."

Naruto stared at her quietly. Ino suddenly felt self-conscious. She wondered if she had said something wrong.

"Are you okay?" Ino said, tilting her head toward him in concern.

Naruto seemed to snap out of his reverie. He nodded and smiled at her.

"Everything's ok," Naruto said, scratching the back of his head, "You just reminded me of something."

"Alright," Ino said, wondering what Naruto was talking about.

They made their plans. Naruto was surprisingly easy to talk to. He came up with several ideas that she wouldn't have thought of. Ino quickly learned that although he was loud, it didn't mean he wasn't sneaky, or clever for that matter.

She paused and then smiled, satisfied with their arrangements. "We can do this. We got me. We got a future Hokage here. This'll be a piece of cake."

* * *

><p>Naruto planted his face in the ground, squeezing into the small crevice alongside a dirt mound. He looked over at Ino, who had frozen in place after seeing him duck, and gestured her to stay still. She was crouched behind some high brush, tensely scanning the area as well. Watching her face scrunch up in anxious concentration, he assumed she had noticed the enemy he had sensed. He didn't want to move, less they be discovered and he didn't dare try to see what Ino was staring at. He was stuck in a less than ideal spot, but it was the best he could do under short notice.<p>

He saw the map that was folded in his hand, tempted to look at it once more. They had been heading toward a large hill that overlooked the area. He had figured they were close and was in the act of checking the map again when they had almost ran into someone. Their plan made sense to him. Finding the highest ground could help pinpoint enemy positions, knowledge that could make moving much easier.

Things had been difficult at first, having had to slow down a few times to let enemy patrols pass. How many teachers were they facing anyway?

Naruto saw Ino breathe a sigh of relief, giving him the sign that everything was clear. He picked himself up and quietly crawled to her.

"We're here," Ino said, pointing to the small incline just in front of them, "It's not much. I thought it'd be bigger."

Naruto frowned, wiping the dirt off his cheek. He opened his map again, marking off the spot where Ino had seen an enemy. The hill he had hoped to find turned out to be nothing more than small rise. He still couldn't see past the trees.

"Yup, this is the spot. Not much of a hill," he said, and then smiling hopefully at her, "We could still go with the non-sneaky plan and just beat up whoever gets in our way."

"It's not so easy," she laughed, "They're chuunin after all."

Naruto shrugged. He supposed she was right. He was used to sneaking around and not getting caught.

"But this is a good spot for you anyway, right?" Naruto said, referring to the plan they had come up with in the classroom.

Ino nodded as she took a sip of water from her canteen. She looked at him now.

"You know," Ino said, studying him, "You're not so bad."

Naruto laughed, feeling a little embarrassed. "What's that mean?"

"It's a compliment. I didn't think you were that good before."

"You're impressed by my strength. I guess it means you want to join my fan club."

"Fan club huh?" Ino said, raising her eyebrows in question, "Didn't know you had one."

"You'll be my first member," Naruto said nonchalantly, placing his folded map in his back pocket.

"Yeah right," Ino said dryly, trying to feign disgust at the idea, "Who says I'll join?"

Naruto sighed, "Ah so you don't wanna join huh? That's too bad. I was thinking about giving you my autograph."

"What?" Ino said, laughing, "I don't want one."

"I'll tell you what," Naruto said, pointing toward the bird that landed on the branch above them, "If you do a good job. I'll give you my autograph. Ready?"

"Like I said," Ino replied, already forming hand seals, half amused at Naruto's behavior, "I don't need your autograph."

Naruto watched curiously as Ino aimed her hands at the bird. She turned toward him for a brief moment.

"Watch after my body will ya," Ino said with a suggestive wink, "Thanks, Hokage-sama."

Before he could reply, Ino muttered softly, "_Shintenshin no Jutsu_."

Ino's body began to buckle. Naruto quickly reacted by holding her against him and she collapsed in his arms. He was surprised. Her hair flitted in his face and he could smell a trace of flowers, her body soft and delicate against his touch. It occurred to him that he hadn't held a girl before.

Quickly dismissing the thought, he eyed the bird that Ino had mind transferred into. He had come up with the idea when Ino said she could jump into people's minds and control them. At first he had been amazed. He could come up with so many uses and abuses. He had wondered if it were possible to accidentally stay stuck inside another's body. Ino had said that it wasn't, due to some sort of chakra link he didn't really try to understand.

The idea had come to him and he had asked her if it were possible to mind transfer into animals. She had looked at him surprised, had said that she hadn't thought of something like that before. He didn't have to tell her how useful it'd be for this mission. She had caught on quick and they had only continued to chatter excitedly afterward.

The bird gave an awkward hop and flew down clumsily to where they were sitting. He had already placed Ino in his lap.

"Does it work?" Naruto asked skeptically, still doubting that Ino could really do something so awesome.

The bird stared at him and chirped.

"Oh yeah," Naruto laughed, who had been half-expecting Ino's voice, "You can't talk. You're a bird. Can you fly?"

The bird jumped off, flapping its wings, and landed on a branch above his head.

"So cool," Naruto said in awe.

Naruto gave her a thumbs up.

"Go on ahead! I'll take care of you." Naruto said, thinking that Ino had such a nice jutsu.

The bird flew off and Naruto lost track of it in the distance. Ino's body rested in his arms, her back leaning against his chest as if she were napping. He placed an arm under her legs and then carefully carried her toward a nearby bush.

He sucked at Genjutsu but he knew enough to use it for camouflage. Naruto dug in his backpack for a cloak and draped it over the both of them. He applied a simple genjutsu to make it seem like they were a part of the bush. It wasn't much but it was easy to overlook.

Naruto finally allowed himself to rest, tempted to close his eyes. He hadn't got much sleep last night, another nightmare of a memory. They were usually rare, but he had gotten a few recently. Last night's dream was different than the others. He had dreamed he was a child again, crying alone in a crowd of people that scorned him. Even though it was only a dream, his heart had been aching all over again.

Some of his nightmares were always like that, a resurfaced memory that he had promised to forget. It wasn't the first time he'd had that specific dream. But this time, a girl came to him, something that had never happened before.

She held him. She had whispered that everything would be okay and Naruto had believed her. He had, in those few moments, felt safe. He had looked up and was surprised to see a familiar face.

Ino had been the girl. She had been the one holding him, showing him that he wasn't alone. Why did he dream of Ino? He hadn't known how to react when he had been partnered with her this morning. The exam had pushed all that aside though, but now in this short break, it finally came to mind again.

The shade from an overhead tree offered them shelter against the heat of the sun. Naruto felt relaxed. Ino's head was pressed gently against his chest and Naruto fell asleep, losing to his temptation of drowsiness, still wondering why Ino appeared, why she had taken care of him.

"Naruto. Naruto!" Ino said, shaking him awake, squirming in his arms.

He was still holding onto her when he woke up. When Naruto realized, he quickly apologized and let go of her.

"Sorry," Naruto said sheepishly, his hand scratching the back of his head, "Guess I accidentally fell asleep waiting for you."

"Hmph," Ino said, getting up on one knee, "You looked tired earlier anyway."

"What did you find?" Naruto said, handing the map over to Ino.

Ino smiled at him.

"Everything we needed."

* * *

><p>They had returned to the classroom relatively early. Only a handful of students were there, some lounging around, others waiting for their friends to return. Ino and Naruto found Iruka-sensei and gave him their report on enemy positions as well as defensive works and possible weaknesses. He congratulated them on doing so well and ordered them to get some rest for next day's jutsu exams.<p>

Ino walked into the courtyard, getting ready to leave. Mom let her have the rest of the week off so she didn't have to head to the flower shop. That meant she was free. She could finally sit back and relax.

Naruto and Kiba were talking loudly not too far from her, arguing about today's mission probably. She could go shopping to celebrate a good job, spend the extra cash she had been saving up. She was a little tired though. Ino decided she'd settle with a nice dinner and a long hot bath. It sounded pretty nice and she was already looking forward to it.

Ino wondered how Shikamaru and Chouji were doing.

"Ino!" Kiba called out as both boys headed to her, "Is it true? You guys didn't fight anyone?"

She nodded, not really knowing what they were going on about. They didn't even run into anyone. Why ask though? It didn't seem like anything special. Although looking back at it, the area was filled with a lot of enemies.

"See!" Naruto said, pointing a finger smugly at Kiba, "We were so good we didn't even need to fight. They knew it was me out there, so they ran away and hid."

"No way! How?" Kiba said, looking slightly put out, "They were everywhere. Me and Shino were a real good team, but even we ran into a few."

"I guess we were better!" Naruto said, sticking his tongue out at Kiba.

Ino laughed at Kiba's growing irritation. She took a few steps back. It looked like Naruto and Kiba would fight again. In class, they had always tried to outdo each other.

She waved goodbye, not really caring what would happen next or if they had heard or not, and turned to head home. Her feet were a little tired and she felt dirty, the dust and grass stains still fresh on her clothes. Ino was surprised when she heard her name called again, this time by Naruto who was running to catch up to her.

"We did a great job though," Naruto said excitedly, "You were really cool."

"Really?" Ino said, feeling pleased with herself.

"Yeah, what a cool jutsu! You were like this. And that!" Naruto said, gesturing wildly.

Ino smiled. "Thanks. It was your idea though."

"I can't believe it worked!"

Naruto continued to recap the events as they headed in the same direction. Ino wondered where he got his energy from. She was tired, thinking about taking a nice nap, whereas he was still bouncing off the balls of his feet. They wished each other good luck tomorrow and Ino dragged herself home, looking forward to getting out of her shoes.


End file.
